ACS Press Releases

 Science  Grism spectroscopy of UDF  Mass of the MACHO-LMC-5 lens  Earliest -forming galaxies in UDF  Kepler’s SNR  Surviving companion star in Tycho’s SNR

1 ACS Press Releases

 Images  Gravitational lens in ACS/WFC parallel image  SN 2004dj in NGC 2403  Cat’s Eye

2 ACS Status / Operation

 All modes continue to operate well  Preparation for two-gyro operations  Anticipated science impact described in two-gyro handbook  ACS/ETC updated to deal with two-gyro PSF  Planning underway for test observations in Feb 2005  Electronics  Preparations are underway to allow a fast electronic side switch for ACS if ever necessary

3 ACS User Support

 Support provided for planning of 70 proposals:  24 proposals switched from STIS  11 use SBC  15 use ACS prisms  2 use ACS grism  1 uses WFPC2  39 newly accepted  7 proposals accepted through Chandra TAC  ACS SBC (FUV) and spectroscopic modes (grism/prisms) can take over some of the science from STIS  No snapshots possible with ACS/SBC 4 ACS Documentation

 New (complete) ACS Data Handbook released  New Instrument Handbook released for Cycle 14  ACS+WFPC2 newsletter (STAN) released

5 ACS Pipeline/Analysis Software

 MultiDrizzle implemented in ACS pipeline  Works on associated data (exposures in a visit created with a recommended pattern or CR-SPLIT)  Produces cosmic-ray cleaned, combined, geometrically corrected output image  New STSDAS standalone release planned for Nov 2004 (will work also for e.g. WFPC2)  Further improvements planned for 2005  e.g., ability to automatically register images

6 ACS Calibration

 Polarimetric Modes Characterized  I. Introduction and status (ISR 04-09; Biretta et al.)  II. The POLV filter angles (ISR 04-10; Biretta et al.)  III. Astrometry of polarized (ISR 04-11; Kozhurina- Platais et al.)  SBC dark rate measured  ISR 04-14 (Cox)

7 ACS Calibration

 Amplifier Cross-Talk Characterized  I. Description of the effect (ISR 04-12; Giavalisco)  II. Using GAIN=2 to minimize the effect (ISR 04-13; Giavalisco)  Geometric Distortion on HRC calibrated to 0.01 pixel  ISR 04-15 (Anderson & King)

8 ACS Calibration

 Coronagraphic Flatfield Methodology improved  ISR 04-16 (Krist et al)

 Calibration plan for Cycle 13 prepared and being executed  Additional calibrations for spectroscopic modes and SBC are being planned, now that STIS has failed.

9 ACS Reference Files

 Dark/Bias creation infrastructure revised  Delivered to the pipeline since 06/2004:  246 dark images  58 bias images  3 MultiDrizzle parameter tables  6 Tables with improved geometric distortion polynomials  22 higher-order geometric distortion correction images  Coronagraphic spot flats and spot position tables

10 WFPC2 Press Releases

 Science  Mass of L-dwarf binary star  Images  Heart of the Trifid Nebula  Spiral NGC 3949  HII Regions N11 & N44 in the LMC

11 WFPC2 Support & Calibration

 WFPC2 continues to be supported primarily through routine calibrations (dark, bias, UV contamination, …) and user support  New Instrument Handbook released for Cycle 14  Accuracy of Photometric Zeropoints was studied  ISR 04-01: Heyer et al.  Calibration plan for Cycle 13 prepared and being executed  Time-varying geometric distortion solutions were delivered as reference files for use with MultiDrizzle

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